America's Second Chance
by ThatOneChick'98
Summary: The Selection has ended with Kriss as the winner. When their daughter is ready for school Maxon asks America to be her teacher. This story goes from kindergarten all the way to high school as America mentors Maxon's daughter. How will the strong relationship between America and Amara affect everyone and how will Amara react to finding out about Miss Singer's past?
1. Chapter 1

America's Second Chance

Disclaimer: Dude, you know how this goes. I didn't write The Selection.

**Au Note: So this actually started as a oneshot. But then everyone was just like, "Whoa, dude. You need to make that a story." I've never been one to disappoint, although I know that was like a month ago, or more. Better late than never, right?**

After Maxon picked Kriss it took a long time for me to get back to being myself. I went back to Carolina and laid around my house until I realized I was using up money that my family couldn't afford to lose. I applied to schools for teaching and was accepted into the best university in Angeles. Although I wasn't thrilled with its location, being so close to the palace, it was comforting to find that no one cared who I was here. Celebrities came here all the time and they didn't bother them. It was a fact of life that you could wake up and see a movie star walking down the street. It was common knowledge that you left them alone. No one mentioned my past because no one cared.

"America!"

I snapped back to reality to see my friend and co-worker looking at me, "You did it again."

"Sorry Liss. What did you say?"

Liss sat on my desk and crossed her legs much like Celeste did whenever she came to town, "I asked you if you were going to be okay. I mean, I know Patty already asked, but this little girl could have been your daughter."

"I'm fine. I got my closure. I know where I stand with Maxon. I'm just surprised he asked for me to teach her."

Liss smiled at me, "I guess he trusts you not to corrupt his daughter. Good start I guess."

Liss was one of the only people that knew why I was eliminated. Only Celeste and Liss were the only people that knew outside of my family. The warning bell rang, letting the high schoolers know that it was time to go to class and telling elementary teachers it was time to get their kiddos.

"Let's go get 'em. Or him." Liss said waggling her eyebrows at me.

"He's married."

"Oh my goodness, what a rebel you are then."

"Go get your kids, Mrs. Wagger." I said following her out the door.

In a close nit community in the east end of Angeles everyone knew everyone, so the kids parents easily pointed them in the direction of their teachers. All I had to do was stand there and wait.

Pretty soon, I had twenty-four kids in front of me. All I needed was one more.

When the limo pulled up no one paid any mind. They just gave it a wide berth. But when I saw the royal emblem I asked Liss to watch my kids. She winked at me before telling my kids to join hers. I walked to the long car as a couple and a four-year old got out. The woman's hair was covered up by a floppy hat, contrasting with the long dress she had on. The man looked sharp and handsome as ever.

The little girl though was the one I was interested in. She had her mother's hair and her daddy's eyes making her look strangely exotic. She looked around at the building, with its low roof and long hallway. The playground on the elementary end and the large covered gazebo on the high school. She took in the many elementary school students. Then, her gaze landed on me. More specifically, my dress pants.

"Why are you wearing pants?" she asked..

Kriss tried to scold her, "Amara!"

But I answered her evenly, "Because they're comfy."

"Are you a man?" the little girl asked.

Kriss looked at me apologetically, "No, I'm a girl. Girls can wear pants too"

"I've never seen a girl wear pants."

"Well then this is a new thing for you."

The little girl turned around and grabbed onto her mother's dress, "Mom, can I wear pants?"

She was so formal around Kriss, but I knew that was just because of the many etiquette classes she probably had to take as a young girl. After a little while of being around the other kids she would calm down. She would realize that around here she could just be her, not what the tutors had drilled her into being.

"No dear, you can't." Kriss said simply before turning to me, "Thank you so much for doing this for us. We were so worried about her being in a regular school, but I wanted to show everyone that I had faith in our school system, and that all of the hard work wasn't in vain."

It was in vain. Her systems had done nothing except cause teachers to have to jump through loops and rush through things, "I understand."  
"You look amazing by the way," Kriss said, handing her daughter her backpack, "I somehow lost track of you. Are you married? I didn't hear anything."

Usually, she would have been safe if she had asked one of the Selected if they were married. Usually.

"No, I'm not."

She stared at me for a second, then smiled, "Well, I'm sure he's out there somewhere."

"I hope not. I'm perfectly fine on my own with these kiddos. And, you know, slamming the door in any man's face that came to the door with a boquet of flowers."

Maxon finally spoke up in the voice I've been dying to hear since he told me to get lost, "I kept thinking I would hear a wedding announcement within the guards."

"Well, you should have. Aspen married Lucy, and Ben married Susen, and Greg married Andra, and Mardon married What's-Her-Face."

Maxon and Kriss looked at each other, "Wow, you sure know what's been going on at the palace."

"Lucy was one of my maids, I can't help it if she blabbers on about it." I must have said 'blabbers' in a weird way because Amara laughed.

I smiled at her as the starting bell rang and everyone started filing into the school, "You ready, honey?"

"Yes," she said unsteadily.

"Kiss your mom and dad bye, they've got a busy day ahead of them."

She gave them a big hug then left them. As we walked across the lawn, she snuck her hand into mine.

Suddenly, we were in this together.


	2. Chapter 2

America's Second Chance 2

**Au Note: I know it's been a long time, actually no, just last week, but here's your second chapter. Remember, I will skip around throughout the years, but this chapter is just a few months after the first. NEXT SENTENCE HAS A SPOILER IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE ONE SKIP TO THE CHAPTER, I WARNED YOU. The huge rebel attack never happened so everyone's alive.**

"Thank you for coming over, America." Kriss said, taking her into the dining hall. The last time America had been in there, she had been in a ball gown, so she felt oddly placed in her jeans and blouse, but she was going out with Celeste and Liss after this, she couldn't wear a dress.

"You're perfectly fine. I know how busy your schedules are."

"Well, still we appreciate it," Maxon said, as the girls sat down at the table and he put his papers away. He was determined to just focus on his daughter tonight, and certainly not on the red head across from him.

She smiled at him and settled into her chair. Maxon noticed with a smile that America had let all of the etiquette slip, propping her elbows up on the table and opening the folder she had brought with her. "As far as any of the big problems you were concerned with when she started, don't worry. She's doing great as far as the society shock. I think she actually kind of likes letting all the things she's been taught in her slip and just being free.

"But with that lies a problem. She's separated school and home. Home is supposed to be the place where you let the etiquette slip, but it's the total opposite with her. When she sees the palace symbol on the car she closes off, sits straighter, takes little steps, and all the other crap I don't do anymore."

Maxon smiled, of course she would say that. But the smile melted off as she continued, "That is not healthy for her. When she goes home, she should be able to kick off her shoes and tell you about her day."

"Well, how do we help with that?" Kriss asked.

"You can do a lot of things. At this age, parents hold a lot of weight in their lives. You can ask her about her day, make her attire more relaxed, you can tell her to invite friends over, you can relax on etiquette, when it seems like something is wrong ask her about it. Let her be a normal kid, otherwise she won't know how other kids work later on in life. When she's a teenager she won't see that it's okay to like boys, she won't get that she can do things that the others are, she can't go to a party. You need to teach her that she can do those things now instead of later."

"What if we don't want her to like boys?" Maxon said, ever the protective father.

America smiled mischeviously at him, "Well then, you can tell her it's okay to like girls. No judgement, you know."

"America, you are aware the princesses are given to a prince when they're of age to get married. We need to get those ties with other countries."

America looked at him for a second then leaned forward and pointed her pen at him, "If you're still thinking of doing that to her I suggest you pull her out of school now because you're setting your little girl up for a whole lot of pain. Why won't Daddy let me pick my own husband? Why am I being sold to some prince a world away from all of my friends? Why me?

"You need to figure out right now which is more important to you. A tie between nations or you daughter's happiness."

America sat back observing the affect she had on the couple, but didn't give them any time to process this new piece of information, "Second order of business. Amara has severe ADHD. Her attention span is about a minute give or take a couple seconds. She has to try so hard to focus on something for more than that time that it kind of pains me to see. She's a smart girl, and yes over time the problem will get a little better, but it will always be something she has to deal with.

"There are lots of things you two can do for that. You could get her into psycology training, which actually helps more than you would think. You can get her medicated, but that won't be a perminate answer to your problems. You could sit down with her and read and interact with her that way so she is focused on that, we're working on reading so I'd recommend that. You could also keep her busy. Give her a lot of things to do so when she gets bored with one thing she can just go to the next thing she needs to do, she'll need that when she starts ruling, being able to jump from one matter to the next.

"The one I'd recommend the most would be to keep her busy, it can also help her with her separation of school and home. Right now, she thinks that after three school is done until the next day. Get her in some afterschool activities: sleepovers, drama club, orchestra, a sport, something that will keep her busy and still interested in school."

"Okay. We'll think about it," Maxon said.

"Here's a list of school activities and clubs." America said handing him the paper and getting up to leave, "I know you all have a busy schedule, but if she joins something like this try to be there for concerts or games, she'd love it."

America started walking out, leaving the couple at the table with all of their etiquette forgotten, "I'd suggest music. She loves singing." Then she looked at a guard that Maxon didn't know the name of and spoke to him, "Well, Jackson, are you going to be a gentlemen and walk me out of do I have to tell your wife you were being bad."

The guard left his post and offered his arm out to America, then they shipped out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

"Please! They need someone to teach it or they're going to shut down the program!" Amara cried.

"Sweetheart, i'm a kindergarten teacher, not an orchestra teacher."

"But we won't have an orchestra if you don't. Please! For me? For my family?"

"I don't have any of the credentials to teach you."

"But Mama! You have to!"

Amara was, by this point, an eighth grader. She had taken up orchestra when she was in fifth grade and had loved it and the people in it. She often referred to them as her family, but with the orchestra teacher going into a forced retirement, as is required by Kriss' new education system when a teacher turned eighty. the school was becoming frantic as no orchestra teacher was available. If they didn't find one soon, the program would have to be shut down. Amara's reasoning was that a kindergarten teacher was easier to find than an orchestra teacher. It was a good idea, but unfortunstely, not one I could do.

In fact, Amara's own mother was one of the reasons I couldn't. Kriss had been relieved when Amara had gone graduated out of my class. I had often talked to her and Maxon to not 'sell' Amara to a prince in another land, as Amara herself often said. This made Kriss resent me, because, although she knew I was right, I had put her in a stslemate. She couldn't take her child out of the school system that would potentially ruin tradition, and she couldn't afford not making ties with another country.

Her parents, instead of listening, had let many princes come to the palace, hoping she would fall in love with one of them during the time they were forced to spend together.

Amara found this annoying, and often told me about the pranks she pulled on the princes to make sure they never cane back. Most of them, by now, were avoiding her as much as possible. Much to her delight.

I couldn't teach her again. I didn't have the credentials to teach orchestra and her mother would exploit me so I couldn't corrupt her daughter even more.

"Just...think about it." Amara's best friend, Damon, said. He was a kind boy, and I was happy she had met him. He was the calm that she sometimes needed.

He started pulling her towards my door and as she left, she looked over her shoulder at me, "I know you'll do what's right. You won't disappoint us."

It was her way of saying that me taking the job was the right thing to do. She knew that with that I wouldn't be able to say no.

"I don't even know what I'm going to do, Liss. She expects me to do this, but I can't."

Liss leaned against the counter in my kitchen, "Well...at least you have the summer to figure it out."

"Yes. At least there is that."

"Honestly, it seems that the only thing keeping you from doing this is tied to credentials."

"Yes... Are you saying I should get my credentials?"

"I'm sure the teachers would love to have you back."

"Are you saying that I should go get my credentials?"

"And you already have so many teaching years under your belt they wont make you go through the education classes again, it would just be the music classes. You were a Five, they would be crazy not to pass you."

"You are saying go get my credentials. That would take so much money. Going back to school. Paying for the classes and taking it over the summer. I would have to sell a house to do that."

"Good thing my husband and I have a spare bedroom."

"I don't know, Liss."

"That little girl means the world to you." She pointed at me, and I knew she was going to call me out, "You already let one of person go. Do you really want to loose another one?"

It was a slap in the face, one that only a best friend can know you need and one only they can deliver. It was the slap she knew I would thank her for later.

"I'll find the money."

"You're all set. We have your replacement, and we've seen to it that your credentials are authentic. You're all set to teach orchestra in two weeks." The high school principal said, grinning at me.

"You did it!" Amara shrieked, racing into the room.

"Yes. I am now four thousand dollars in debt for student loans, but I am here."

Amara smiled at me, with an inspired look on her fsce, "Thank you, Mama."

I smiled at her, "No, thank you."

AU Note: So I realize this is like two or three months overdue. Sorry, I was not able to really write this summer, but now I'm back in school and ready to ignore the six hours of homework teachers give me every night. I got a review, Or at least I think it was a review, that asked if this story was, you know, Maxerica. Honestly, I haven't decided. The story is mostly about Amara and America's rekationship, and shoeing how Maxon would have turned out if he didn't have America by his side. If it seems natural for them to get together, I will make sure it happens. If not, I'm not going to force it.


	4. Chapter 4

When news came that the whole royal family, including Toddler Prince William, was coming tomorrow with Amara. Everyone was ecstatic. They would get to see what school life was like for her and for a lot of other kids. This led to a problem for me though, since Amara spent most of her day with me.

I would spend most of my day with Maxon.

Amara, as always, was in my room early the next dsy, her family and cameras in tow. She went to my desk, skipped around it and gave me a hug. In all the time that i've known her, for almost twelve years noe, since she was in eleventh grade now, I had become aware of the fact that Amara had no idea who I was in relation to the Selection. She knew that I had once been famous, but had given that life up to be a teacher. She didn't know I had been in the Selection, let alone how close to being her mother. It was an obviously wish to both her parents and I to keep my relationship with her father a secret to her.

Her parents thought Amara would become even more attached to me, but I thought it would have the opposite effect. To Amara, I was someone unaffected by politics or etiquette. I was her version of normalcy. Normalcy was something that I desperately wanted her to have. That, and, if Amara knew about the Selection, then she might hear the actual reason I was eliminated. Then, I would have lost both Maxon and Amara to the same stupid mistake.

"Hello, my dear," I told her as she let go of me.

She smiled at me, "Notice anything different about today?"

Oh, two could play that game, "Hmmm, are you wearing a skirt instead of a dress?"

"Nope, dress today, like always."

"Did you do something different to your hair?"

"No, you stink at this game."

"OH! I know! You actually did your homework last night?"

"Don't be silly, Mama." I laughed, partially at her joke and partially because she had called me Mama in front of her mother. It was no secret to me the reason she called me Mama. It was because Amara was forced to call Kriss 'Mother' and Kriss was too formal around her. Amara thought thst the name 'Mama' was less formal, and since I had taken on a mother-like role in her life, she called me thst. Kriss might have given birth to her, but I was someone she could come and cry to, or tell stories to, or to ask questions to, while she couldn't to Kriss.

"Mama, this is Dad, Mom, and William."

I stood up and extended my hand, and, by the looks of it, gave a great sense of relief to her parents, "Well, I haven't seen you all in forever. Except the last Report, the one before that, and the one before that. You all are typically there a lot."

Amara seemed pleased that I hadn't bowed to them or anything of that sort, especially when she had come and talked to me yesterday about how she hoped people wouldn't make a fuss about the visit. Her family shook my hand and little Prince William, only five years old, gave me a little wave.

As the time grew closer for school to start, more and more kids came into my room, clearly pleased with the new people. Even the filming, the kids were talking to them, asking them what this dohickey did and what that one did.

"Alright," I said as 8:25, the starting time for school came, "If you all don't leave now you all are going to be late."

Then they left and I went about my day as usual. Until fourth period.

Kriss and Maxon sat in the back, with a sleepy Prince William on Kriss' lap. They smiled at me for the cameras and for all those who knew of our relstionship. Amara took her place in her chair with Damon just as the bell rang.

"Alright, my dears. I want you to look behind you, and say hi to the King and Queen."

They all turned and smiled at Kriss and Maxon, "Hi King and Queen."

"Now turn back around and say hi to them agsin, this time as Mama K and Papa M, also known as Amara's parents."

"Hi Mama K and Papa M, also known as Amara's parents."

"Beautiful. Mow they are people you don't need to be afraid of, and we can continue with today's lesson.

"Damon! Tell me something positive about today!" I said. This had become tradition with us, since by the time I got them they were all tired and ready to go home. This gave them time to look on the bright side every day. It also helped cleanse their mind of anything bad going on and actually enhanced their preformsnce. "We get play today."

"Oh, that's boring. Do it again."

"Ummmm...Amara has not ruined the country."

"Why is it a miracle that I haven't ruined the country. Why can't Crekin ruin the country."

Crekin, the first chair cello was known for his mischievous action, and probably would ruin the country.

I let out a fake gasp, and went to him, "Crekin wouldn't hurt a

fly. Look at this face! He could never get in trouble. He couldn't, you know, light the cafeteria on fire On roll day. Never!"

He actually hsd, which led to him not having to take his math test that day.

"That's right, Ames!" Crekin said to Amara, using the nickname that made both of us turn around.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maxon frown. 'My dear', 'Ames', 'Mama'. They all tied back to me. To us. He called me Ames, he called me his dear, I wanted to be Amara's mother. He knew it, and it either hurt him, or he wanted all the names to stop.

I wouldn't spare him the pain. Not when it meant my kids suffering for it. They looked forward to this class, for them to be able to talk to me. Most of them had unstable families. This was stable,

and I wouldn't make it unstable because I broke someone's heart more than 16 years ago.

"Alright, my dears. We're going to work on 'Hero's Charge' today,"referring to a piece we were playing, "When we are playing this I want you all to remember..."

I waited, knowing they would finish my thought.

"The guards," someone said in the second violin section.

"The guards," I confirmed, and pointed to the back of the room, "Luckily we have some guards in the back, so it won't be that hard. I wonder," I looked at Maxon, "If I could borrow one of them and they tell us a story about what happens when thry charge the enemy."

"I suppose you could." he replied in a rough voice.

"Jackson, you have the floor." I said hopping off of my podium and giving Jackson the chance to tell any stories he had. Then Aspen came up and told his. The kids asked questions to them, keeping them up there for more time than I thought they would, but I didn't mind. When I finally asked them to play the action-packed piece that highlighted the charge perfectly, they played it energetically and beautifully, and I loved it.

"That's all the time we have today, my dears. I will see all of you after school."

I walked them all to the door after they had packed up their instruments and made then thank Jackson and Aspen.

After a while, it was just the royal family, as they waited for Kriss to calm down Prince William, who didn't want to leave the music. He was just like his sister.

"Just go on, I'll calm him down and catch up."

Maxon, Amara, Aspen, and all the cameras left. That was when I knew she was not here to calm down her child.

"I need to talk to you." Kriss said in a voice that said there was no room to argue, "I'm taking Amara out of orchestra."


	5. Chapter 5

America's Second Chance

The bell rang, showing the end of the day. It had been a month since Amara had gone into her forced orchestra retirement. She was now taking a politics class. That she hated.

When Kriss told me she was taking Amara out of orchestra I couldn't say much. She was the parent, I had advised her not to do it, but had stopped when Kriss said she would not allow her child to be taught by a slut. In front of my fifth graders.

I had stared at her for a minute, "You may rule the country, but I rule my classroom. Get out."

She had been so appalled, she stomped out of the room.

Amara had come to me, crying the next day, her new schedule in her hand.

I watched as the high schoolers unpacked their instruments and sitting down. Amara skipped into the room, "Hey Mama. You ready to rehearse?"

Kriss thought she was in tutoring right now, the only person in her family that knew she was here was Maxon, who actually paid me to stay a little later and let the high schoolers rehearse together.

See, here are a few things Kriss can't change:1) she can't change that I love her daughter, 2) she can't change that everyone else in the orchestra loves her daughter, 3) she can't change what the kids and I do after school, even she doesn't have that power, 4) she can't change the fact that Maxon thought Amara should keep going in her musical career.

When Maxon found out that Kriss had changed Amara's schedule he had called me and proposed the high schoolers have an after school rehearsal Tuesdays and Thursdays, one that Amara could come to. I had told him that Kriss would not be happy he was doing this. He replied with, "Well, Ames is not too happy about leaving your class. Neither was Damon."

Apparently, when Damon had heard that Amara was being taken out of orchestra, he had gotten a ride to the palace and had trashes the place worse than the rebels ever did. The guards didn't stop him, even when they were ordered to.

Amara's quiet, calm other half had become the forefront in what Maxon called 'The Orchestra Rebellion', something that Amara admired a lot.

So, we started meeting after school, every Tuesday and Thursday.

The kids all made it happen. Some of them, who rode the bus, had to ask me for rides. Others skipped sports. Others, some of the Sixes that went to the school, had gone as far as turning down jobs. But we were together. Our family was together again, and we couldn't be happier.

"Alright, Mr. do you want to tune or does the Mrs.?"

"Mama," Amara whispered, quietly trying to get me to stop.

About a month after the rebellion, everyone started to see Amara and Damon's friendship blooming. Something we made fun of them for by calling them 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.'.

As far as I know, nothing had come of it. Yet.

It was something I hadn't told Maxon about, knowing that he would not take it well. He loved his daughter enough to fight for orchestra with her, but he needed a relationship with another country.

Me? I had nothing in mind but her personal joy, so I was rooting for Amarmon (they're couple name, face it, I'm so clever).

"So, you've been talking to him? That's it?" Celeste said, putting dishes on my table.

"Yeah. We just want to make sure Amara's taken care of. She loves orchestra, we can't just take that away from her."

"You do realize what this means?"

"Celeste. Don't start with that."

She went on anyway, "This is your chance to get back with him! You could help him realize that you would be the better mom!"

"I would have been. As in, we don't have a choice now. He made his decision. He picked Kriss. I can't be Amara's mom now."

"But you are Amara's mama. Don't you think that, somewhere in your mind, you grew close to this little girl because she is Maxon's? Don't you think, that may have influenced how much time and effort you put into making this girl feel welcome in your school because you would have wanted Maxon to feel welcome?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"I think the tie goes both ways. I know she doesn't know you were in his Selection, but I think she senses it. I think she is so much like Maxon that she became attracted to you as a mom figure. She recognizes that you two would be good for each other, and she craves that relationship because she's only known one that was forced and destructive."

"That's silly."

"Really? Do you? Or do you wish that she could? I also have my theories about whether you want her to know about the Selection."

"Why would I want her to know I cheated on her father."

She held up a finger, "Number 1, you still blame yourself. Number 2, you want her to find out and accept it so there are no secrets. Number 3, it's easier for her to forgive than it would be for her father, so you think if you got her forgiveness it would be a step towards Maxon's. Number 4, you and Maxon can't get back together if she doesn't know you were together in the first place."

"That's a lot of theories."

"I'm a trophy wife now, remember? I have plenty of time to think now that my career is over."

She sat down heavily in her chair, "Ames, just...promise me this won't let Kriss win. We both love her, but she's become a little..."

"Protective?"

"I was going to say 'bitchy'."

"Amara is her kid. She thinks she knows what's best for her."

"She also thought she knew how to recreate the school system. You disagree with her on that matter too. Obviously she should just stop thinking she can do things that are in your area of expertise."

"She does know how to make adorable kids though."

"See? That's not in either of our expertise areas, and she did it right."

Celeste and her husband have been trying to have a kid for years, but were, so far, unsuccessful.

We stayed quiet for a minute then I asked her, "Would you like to come watch a rehearsal? Obviously you can't tell them you were in the Selection, but you could become part of our family."

She smiled at me, "I'd be happy to."


	6. Chapter 6

The kids took to Celeste really fast. They loved her. She had gone into retirement about two years ago, but her photos were still used around town in advertisements. They were surprised to see her come in as one of my friends (and some of them were glad I had friends that were my age). She excited them, said how awesome they sounded, which they really hadn't really heard from anyone, but me. She raised their confidence, and therefore their playing went to a whole other level.

"What else do you all do? With the music program?" she asked after rehearsal.

"We have a band and a choir."

"That's it? Don't the arts give the kids a way to channel stress? Help them excel in school? Give them a reprieve? Help with learning cultures? Stuff like that?"

"Yes, they do but..."

"What about a show choir?"

"We wanted to start one but...we can't."

"What about an art class?"

"We have one, but...it's bare minimum."

"...You have to do something. The arts aren't anything to mess with. What about plays? Do you all do drama?"

"It's basically improv. They don't have enough money to buy props or anything."

"Why?"

I stayed quiet and Celeste nodded, "Kriss' new program."

"It only gives the bare minimum to schools."

"Why?"

"With the war we can't give that much money to them."

"And the school system restricts fund raisers to just school supplies needed for core classes." I told her.

"Mother wanted to make sure that schools aren't dependent on money from other income besides state money, in case that money disappears suddenly." Amara said, coming up to my desk, where we were seated.

"I guess that makes sense," I said, and Celeste snorted, "Yeah, if everyone disappears from the earth, you're school will still be able to function."

Then she turned to me, dead serious, "You have to do something."

"Why me?"

"Because you're...you." she said remembering that Amara was right beside us, "And you were a Five. You understand all the arts."

"That doesn't mean I have money flowing out of my ears. The arts take money, Celeste."

"Honey. I think you know a couple people with money." Celeste said, staring at me. The Selected. They all had a lot of money, but asking for their help might make Amara question how I know them. Bringing one of them here was risky enough, but we could always make up a story of how we met. Knowing all of the Selected would be a lot of stories to make up.

Asking them for help would mean that I would have to tell Amara, and Celeste knew it.

"We can't take anymore from the palace. People will start noticing. Mother will start noticing."

That was something I still needed to get used to, Amara calling Kriss 'Mother' instead 'Mom'. When Kriss took Amara out of orchestra, Amara had started punishing her with that name, taking a name so formal that it didn't even seem like Amara even recognized herself as Kriss' kid.

"I'll...I'll figure something out. I think I might have someone that can give up something."

Amara's phone rang, signaling that her parents were here to pick her up, "I got to go. I'm sure you won't disappoint us."

After she was gone, Celeste turned towards me, "How can I help?"

"I need you to send a letter to my family. May can help with the art class. Ask her if she wants a part job working here."

"That's it?"

"No. I need a phone too."

She quickly handed me her cell phone, "Who are you calling? Maxon's with Kriss right now, he can't answer your call."

"I'm calling another set of royals."

Celeste stood there for a minute before making a hand gesture, one that said, "Continue."

"I'm calling the Italians."


	7. Chapter 7

"Why?" NIcoletta asked.

"Because they need it, and I'm asking you. As a friend. I need help, but I don't want it to seem like the Selected are fighting against Kriss' program."

"But you are."

"I'm fighting against part of it."

I could hear Nicoletta's smile in her voice, "You're fighting against her for Maxon's little girl. You're finally fighting for him."

"Well...kind of."

"Fight her, America. YOu let her win once, don't let it happen again."

"I've been getting that a lot lately. Everyone wants me to fight against the school system reforms. I don't get why."

"America..." she sighed, "Did you ever watch the footage from when you left the palace?"

"No, I purposely stayed away from the media."

"The last time the people saw you, your flame had diminished. You just...accepted that you couldn't be with Maxon anymore. You gave in. A lot of people were hurt by that. Then, almost eighteen years later, you come back into the spotlight, and you're a teacher. You have the princess' support and it's clear that you love her.

"We don't want another loss for you," she continued, "When you lost MAxon we thought you were gone. We don't want you to lose Amara because we don't know if you'll be able to come back from it."

I was silent.

"America, don't lose her. Kriss just wants you to break. Don't let her win."

"I won't," of that I was sure. Kriss won MAxon, but I will win Amara.

"Now, how much money did you say you needed?"

"Depends on how big you want the fight."

"Humungous."

"Alright! Today's lesson. Who wants to guess at what it is?" I asked the twenty three students in front of me.

The school had responded enormously to the new programs, and the kids were doing better in school than ever before. The art room constantly had kids working on paintings due to May's new art reforms. I stayed at school up to two hours after the final bell rang with different music programs. Our little school was getting attention from the media, and different kids were flocking to the school just because of the arts program here.

We had hired a new drama teacher. He was funny, and the kids loved his enthuisiam, because it mirrored theirs. If Kriss knew about these new programs at school, she hadn't made a comment, even to Amara.

As for my little girl, she was involved in everything she could be. Drama, show chior, orchestra, and art. She loved every second of it, but she was having trouble staying in all of them due to her parents 'expectations'. Anyone could look at her and tell she was tired. HEr curly hair was beginning to lose its spring, her eyes refused to stay open, and the was one of the only kids whose grades went down instead of up when the arts came to school. But she was happy, ecstatic even. She loved every second she spent with us.

At home though, her parents were fighting, she had homework, and responsibilities as a princess that she had to deal with.

Which had led me to teaching this lesson.

"Today, we're going to talk about things that try to overtake us. Things that oppress us. THings that shove us into boxes that we don't want to be in. We're going to figure out how to use music to handle those things."

Everyone was interested now.

"We can start with something that we all need to do." I went over to the board and began to write, "We need to know the things that oppress and stress us."

The kids smiled at what I wrote on the board, "So, do exactly what is on the board: give stressers and oppressers a name that clearly expresses your hatred for them. Shout them out."

"Mean teachers." One kid yelled.

"I resent that," I told him back, "But I'll write it anyway."

"The sleep depriver called homework."

"Sky high expectations."

"The horrid caste system."

They kept shouting out things that oppressed them, until there was only one person who hadn't spoken.

"Amara," Damon spoke softly, as if he thought he would break her, "Do you have one."

She looked at me, with tired eyes, "The bitches that we are forced to call mothers."

The whole class was silent as I wrote it on the board. They expected Amara to break, only I knew better. A seventeen year old could only take so much, but Amara's fight was not one she could stop fighting, even for a second.

"So, how do we deal with these things? And how can we make these things better.

"We can't just stop doing our homework, can't get rid of our mothers, and those teachers will always be mean," I leaned forward, "We tell them exactly what is on the board. They've oppressed us one too many times, so we'll tell them exactly how we feel about it in the best way we know how. Through song, through our art, through the best way anyone can communicate."

Everyone smiled at me as I continued, "In this class we learn an important lesson. You can't oppress anyone without expecting them to retaliate."

"Celeste, what's better than a show choir concert?" I asked, on the stage.

"Nothing, America. Absolutely nothing." she smiled at me.

"After school your kids come to us, and we try to teach them things that they will need for the rest of their lives. Lessons like: how to deal with bullies."

Celeste said the next one, "Stress."

"Relationships."

"Happiness."

"Saying goodbye."

"Saying hello."

"Saying no."

"And being okay with the life you've been given."

"These are only a short list of the lessons we've taught them." I said.

Celeste continued, "When we were preparing for this concert we asked them to pick their favorite lessons and choose a song to represent that lesson."

"The following are the lessons they've picked."

As I looked over the crowd and was caught by a familiar set of brown eyes, "We hope you enjoy the show."

...

Over the thirty minutes, kids came out and told the audience what the next song was about, what lesson it was, and telling them the name of the song.

I was okay until one of the final announcers came out, "I could get thrown in jail for letting her do this." I told Celeste.

"You have to let her do this. You have to let her fight her war."

"I don't like it."

"I know. But it will pay off, maybe not right away, but soon."

I was letting Amara announce the oppression lesson, and, since this concert was being broadcasted, the lower castes would take it as Amara telling them to fight their caste number. This could lead to a civil war, and Amara knew it. She embraced it. Then, both the castes she was in school with and herself would fight off the monarchy that oppressed them.

"Mama, taught us a lesson that everyone should learn. It was about oppression. She told us that if you oppress someone, you must expect them to fight back. She taught us that we will be persecuted against, and that we needed to fight it. Being the entertainers, " not princesses, not royalty, entertainers. She had made sure everyone knew that she counted herself among the Fives, among the people that I grew up with, among the people that everyone says is lower than her, among the people that her father would have been if he wasn't royalty, among the group of people her whole family would be if they weren't royalty, except one. Her mother. "Being the entertainers we are, she taught us how to do that through music."

She took a deep breath, "This song is called You Can't Control Me, and it shows the retaliation that we must all embrace when we are persecuted."

...

As the kids bowed, the audience cheered. THe curtain went down, and once it was in place we were all jumping and clapping and laughing. We were all proud of what we had done.

I watched with tears in my eyes as Damon picked up Amara and began to spin her in a circle. Even over the cheering, I could tell he was telling her how proud he was of her, something she didn't hear very often.

In the excitement of the moment, Amara did something she had always been afraid to do. She kissed him, "I've been in love with you ever since you threw my mother's vase at the wall when you found out I was being taken out of orchestra."

And any of the consequences I had been thinking of when she went to announce the song flew out of my head. She was happy. She was so happy with Damon that they were absorbed in each other.

They didn't realise that everyone had gone quiet.

Kriss was there.

"Mother..." Amara didn't know what to say. Her mother had seen it all, and she wasn't happy.

"The car is waiting for you outside, Amara. I suggest you go to it and remember your place in this world."

Amara looked close to tears, but she started walking towards the door.

Kriss then turned her anger on me, "Schools are only supposed to get money from the funds that the country allows them. This program will be pulled immediately, and you, Miss Singer, are fired."

She turned to the students, "You will see neither Miss Singer or my daughter at school tomorrow. You will never see them at school again."


	8. Chapter 8

Kriss kept her promise. I was blackballed from working anywhere in the city due to 'unlawful money intake'. I wasn't allowed to call Amara, and neither was Damon. It was something that killed us both. I couldn't see my kids. They didn't have show choir or orchestra or art. They didn't have anything, and I couldn't go to them.

So they came to me.

"Damon?" I asked opening the door. It was pouring and the poor boy was soaked, although I had a feeling his face would have been wet anyway, "Come on in, darling."

I got him a towel and a hot chocolate and we sat in silence for a minute, the silence that Amara usually broke.

"I've never been to your house before."

"How'd you find it."

"Miss May. She still helps with art sometimes."

"I know."

"You don't come. You don't come, Mama."

"I know, baby, I know. I'd only bring you trouble."

We sat in silence again, then Damon said, "I need you to get me into the palace. I know you have connections within the guards. Get me in to see her."

"Damon..."

"She needs me. She needs us. We can't-"

"Grab my keys."

"Sweet."

"There's someone here to see you," Jackson said, popping his head into the dining room. He made sure not to say our names.

"Who is it? We're not supposed to have any more guests today." Kriss' voice rang.

Jackson let us walked in, and, as we did, he squeezed my hand. A simple message: we're all with you.

Damon walked in first, bowing to the king, and I followed in. I stayed a little ways away from my boy, giving off the impression that I was only the driver. I had nothing to lose, but I wanted Maxon to know that if he wanted me to keep my distance I would respect his wishes, but just barely.

"Damon?" A small voice asked. Amara, who looked even more pale and sickly, launched herself into his arms. The only sounds in the room were Amara's sobs and Damon's deep voice, telling her it was alright, as they sunk to the floor, clinging to one another.

I looked up at the table full of people. The German Federation was here.

"...Hi."

Kriss slowly stood up. She was infuriated. "Guards. Why don't you escort Miss Singer to the city jail."

No one moved except Maxon, "What? She didn't do anything!"

"She disobeyed a royal order. I have authority to have her arrested."

"Not without my consent, Kriss." Kriss looked surprised. She didn't think Maxon would challenge her on this.

"Daddy?" Amara said, "You can't let her do that to Mama."

William, knowing his big sister was upset, shrieked a high pitched yell, seeming to agree with her.

Amara, who seemed encouraged in having her brother's approval, continued, although quietly, "She fired her. Mama can't teach anymore. She can't teach anyone."

Maxon was stunned, before he stood up, and turned toward the men from the German Federation, "If you'll excuse us, gentlemen, we all have some business to attend to."

He then rushed his family, Damon, and I into the throne room.

"What is going on?" he said, and Kriss immediately started yelling.

"She's been putting our daughter up against us. First with the pranks on the princes and then almost totally ruining our country. I won't have it! I won't!"

"So you kept her from getting any intake whatsoever? She's a teacher! If she can't teach she will starve! Think Kriss."

"Oh please. Don't even try to tell me you are using logic with this! If it was anyone else, you wouldn't even care!"

"You're right! America listens to Ames, she talks to her, gives her advice!"

"What are you saying?!"

"That you don't! America is more of a mother than you are!"

Kriss was silent for a minute, and I knew what she was going to do before she did it.

"Let me remind you what she did to you before you go any farther."

"Kriss!" Maxon said, trying to get her to stop. But nothing could stop her now.

"She cheated on you. You were going to propose to her, and she slept around with a guard."

Everyone was quiet for a minute, until Amara turned to me, "You...you were in the Selection?"

I stayed quiet for a minute, "...Yes. Yes I was. But your father chose your mother, and I went home."

"Because you slept with a guard?"

I almost broke down crying,but I answered her, "Something like that."

She shook her head at me, "You lied to me."

"It was the only thing I ever lied to you about. I thought you knew, but you were just too young to care. Then, when you grew up and you didn't know, I had just guessed that your parents didn't want you to know. So I didn't tell."

She looked disgusted at me, "You're a monster. I don't want you to talk to me ever again. And I know you won't disappoint me."

I stood there for a second, realizing I had lost them both, just like I had thought, "I could never stand disappointing you." I looked up, noticing one particular guard, "Aspen, will you please take Damon home, after he's done."

"Yeah Ames."

Jackson looked at me, "We'll take care of your kids, Ames. Celeste and Liss are here to take you home."

They knew to call them, to get them here, "Thank you boys."

And I walked towards the door, until Maxon said to me, "America. You have your teaching license back."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."


	9. Chapter 9

"Just...Come, Amara."

"No Damon. I'm not going, I won't go."

"It's just one concert. You'll get to see us preform. You don't even have to see her. You can leave right when it ends. Just come. For us. For me."

"Damon, I can't. I-"

"Damn it, Amara, you've been holding onto a grudge for two years now! She did NOTHING. She helped you. She gave you a shoulder to cry on. Friends to laugh with. A mother figure when you dont have one!"

"I do have a mother!"

"NO! YOU DON'T. You have a bitch figure! And it's affecting you more than you know."

"Excuse me?!"

"You're acting like your mother! And that's not the best thing to be acting like. She was the one who turned you against Mama!"

"With good reason! She betrayed Papa!"

Damon grabbed me, "That has nothing to do with her loving you. She messed up. She was seventeen. She's older, wiser now. Your parents are celebrating their twentieth anniversary. You are holding onto a grudge that has lasted just as long. It has nothing to do with you. Let go of it."

Before she could speak, another voice rang out, "Amara, you're needed, darling. Damon, the guards can escort you out, thank you for visiting."

Amara walked over to her mother thinking that, maybe, just maybe, she had been a little too harsh with Mama.

"Mom, can I go to Damon's orchestra concert?"

"I wish you could dear, but we have things to do."

"Oh."

Kriss turned to her, and gripped her hands, "There will be other concerts. If I'm not mistaken, his private teacher is having a recital. We can go to that."

Damon's private teacher wasn't Mama.

I was cooking dinner when I first heard the knock. No one had called, so I ran to the door. My kids had the rare talent of showing up at my doorstep when it was raining, probably because that was the only time most of them got off work.

I flung open the door without looking at who it was, and was very startled.

"Maxon?"

"I need to speak to you."

I stepped away from the door, letting Maxon, Aspen, and Jackson through, "Why is it always you two?"

They smiled at me, "Nice to see you too, Ames."

I ushered them into the living room before going to get them towels and hot chocolate.

"Does this fireplace work?" Jackson asked.

"I've never gotten it to. It's supposed to be gas, but it won't light."

He spent the next few minutes trying to get it to light as we talked about little things. How the wives were, the kids, the awful storm season we were having, and stories.

I told me how one of my high schoolers had somehow managed to get pudding into his instrument, how my fifth graders were telling 'your mama' jokes, and how one of my highschoolers had tripped over the second chain in the first violin section.

I turned to Maxon, "That seat is always empty in case your daughter wants to come home. She always sat there, so even during concerts no one sits there."

He smiled a sad smile, "She misses school. You can tell when you look at her. But I can't convince Kriss to let her go back."

He turned towards me a little more, and I knew that he meant business now, "We need to make ties with New Asia. As soon as possibe. The best way to do that is-"

"No. Max...you can't do that to her. She's in love with Damon."

"Damon?"

"...Yes...they've been dating for the last year, ever since the concert."

THe guards shifted uneasily, and I realized that he didn't know, "You've got to be kidding me. You didn't know."

Aspen and JAckson avoided looking at us, squirming in their seats while Maxon was perfectoly still, "Boys, you're excused."

"Thank you," they both said, going to disappear in the kitchen.

"Max..." he seemed to flinch, preparing himself for the tirade that was about to ensue. "That's a pretty big milestone that you missed there."

"Yes ma'am."

"Why did you miss it."

"Running a country is pretty hard."

"It's nothing compared to raising a kid, is it?"

"No ma'am. It isn't."

"Is that why you put the country before your kids? Because the country is easier?"

HE finally looked at me, "She reminds me of you. Even though you've left the palace you continue to haunt it. I see you in her eyes."

I stayed quiet as he continued, "Psychologically speaking, she should be more like her mother. Children inherit some of their parents' personality, as well as their looks.

"When I look at Amara...she reminds me more of you than of Kriss. It's like nature telling me that she was meant to be your kid.

"William...he's only met you once, but he acts like you too. Your tenacity...it's like they inheritted it."

"Does that scare you?"

He scooted towards me on the couch, "No, it just surprises me when I see Kriss try to love them. It surprises me when they call her mom."

We started leaning towards one another, and when I realized that we were I sat back, putting my hand on his chest to make him do the same.

"I can't put my daughter's happiness above the country. I need to wed her off the the prince of New Asia." he said getting up off the couch

"If you do that, you need to think if you're making a tie, or breaking one."

"What are you saying?"

"Amara has the harshest punishments. She will stay away from you if you wed her off. YOu may stop a war, but once she is queen, you will lose an ally.

"I have the Italians on speeddial. You will lose both countries if I think you have forced her to do anything."

"Are you threatening me, America?"

"Do you feel threatened?"

"In further news, it seemed Princess Amara has found love. The twenty year old princess is engaged to Prince Nikita of New Asia." the radio blared.

"How sad," Nicoletta commented, looking at her nails.

"I can honestly say I'm very upset." Celeste said.

"They've been debating it for quite a while now," Marlee threw her hands up in the air, in a 'those people are idiots' gesture, "I'm surprised they even did it."

"It seems they didn't think you would keep your promise, Ames," Liss said, crossing her legs under the table.

"What do we do now?" Aspen asked.

"We wait." I answered, "we wait, and plan to make our presence known."

"I'll have to rip up that alliance treaty."

"Let's tape it, and send it to Maxon," Celeste grinned.

Liss looked at my face, "What do you think she'll do?"

"Amara? I think she'll want some help. We need to keep ourselves open to that possibility." I said, filling up their empty cups.

"To Amara, our little rebel," I said lifting up my cup.

"To Amara!"


	10. Chapter 10

Au Note: last chapter. Ever. Jk, just this story, ill probably be writing another (I think, I don't really know yet).

"She's not happy."

"I told you she wouldn't be. You just didn't listen."

"America. I-I need those ties. Otherwise New Asia will attack us."

"Sacrifice one for the many, I understand. I don't understand why you would do that when you don't need to."

"I've tried to make an alliance, Ames. I really have."

I looked at him for a second, "Maxon, why do you keep coming back?

"What?"

"Why do you keep coming back to my house? All I do is yell at you. Don't you get enough of that already."

He leaned towards me, "There's a difference between you yelling at me and Kriss yelling at me. You argue for Amara, she doesn't. You are just disappointed by my choices, to Kriss...there wasn't even that choice to begin with."

"You shouldn't be comparing me to your wife. We're not on the same level."

"I know. You're so much higher than her." I looked away. He didn't mean that. Not after what I did.

"Let me kiss you."

"You have a wife," I whispered, barely managing to understand what he was saying.

"Let me kiss you."

I blinked, "No. What are you doing?"

"Please, I just need to. One kiss, just one, the I'll leave. IF you don't want me to come back I won't."

Then, he leaned over and kissed me. It was a mindblowing kiss that led to the next, and the next, and the next.

"We need to stop," I said in between kisses.

"Okay," he said, pushing me deeper into the cushions before his lips rested on mine again.

"You need to get back to Kriss."

"I know."

"And the country."

"I know."

"And William and Amara...Amara-" I pushed him off of me with enough force to rival a bulldozer, "Amara. She can't find out about this. God, if she knew you cheated on her mother with me we would both have Hell to pay. You already saw what she did to me, she won't be as kind with you."

I handed him his shirt, which had been thrown on the floor, "Get out. Go back to your wife."

"Ames-"

"Get out. You promised that after the kiss you would."

He stared at me for a moment, "Right. RIght, I did. Goodbye, Ames."

"Prince Nikita arrives today from New Asia, ready to see his finance. Rumour has it, Princess Amara isn't happy." The talk show host said.

"If my parents picked someone like that for my husband, I wouldn't be complaining, John. He is one good looking-" Marlee turned off the radio.

"You okay?" she said, climbing onto the bed to sit beside me.

"Yeah...I think...I don't know."

We sat there in silence for a minute, until Marlee said, "Are you sure she'll come? She doesn't even know that we're supporting her."

"She knows. If she needs it, she'll come."

"I hope so."

The knock on the door came right after the thunderstorm did, "Right on time," I mumbled.

I opened the door to see the two soaked twenty year olds on my doorstep.

"Mama?" Amara asked, as if she was scared she couldn't call me that.

"Come in," I ushered them in, reaching into my front closet for the towels I now kept there, "You all always come in thunderstorms. Why is that?"

After they were wrapped up in their towels, we sat by the fire.

Every once in a while, the kids would fidget. They were scared, but of what?

"What can I do for you all?"

"We want to get married," they said at the same time.

"Amara. Prince Nikita would be furious if he found out."

"He already knows. He doesn't want this either. You have to help us."

"Your parents-"

"I know you won't disappoint us." and I wouldn't, at this point I could never disappoint her or Damon ever again.

"If you get married to Damon, you can't get married to the Prince."

"Yes. That's why we want to."

I stood up, "You'll need a white dress, a chapel, a priest, and witnesses." I ran towards the door, shoving my shoes on my feet, "There's a white dress in my closet that should fit you. Damon go to the bakery and get a cake, there's money in the jar on the top of the cabinets. I'll take care of everything else. Meet me at the chapel in thirty minutes. We're getting it done tonight, preferably before guards break down my door."

I left them so they could get ready and rushed through everything I had to do, including one very important thing.

When Amara and Damon entered the chapel, they were pleasantly surprised. Almost all of the orchestra was there, sitting in the pews ready to start the ceremony.

"How did you do all of this?" Amara asked, looking around.

"I've had some practice with quickly planning things." Amara smiled at me, "Groom to the left, bride to the right."

I followed Amara down to the end of the hallway where the bride's room was, "I have one more surprise for you."

I opened the door, and Amara looked inside. She quickly burst into tears, "Daddy! Will!" she rushed into the room, and hugged them, before pulling back, "You're not here to send me back, are you?"

"No, honey, I'm not."

I walked into the room, "If I was getting married, I would want nothing more than for my father to walk me down the aisle. I can't do that, but you can."

"So she called me up and threatened me. Very forcefully and violently, I might add."

"But...you need the ties." Amara said, almost like she felt guilty.

"I need my daughter's happiness more. I just needed someone to yell at me to realize it. I missed so much, I'm not going to miss this."

"As much as I love this, Damon's waiting. We have a schedule to keep." I said, ushering the small family out, "Will, you get to carry the rings."

Amara turned towards me, startled, "I didn't think of that. What are we-"

"YOur father and I have it handled."

She looked towards her dad for explanation. He shifted uneasily, "I still have the ring I was going to propose to America with. Your mother didn't want it, so we got another one. I also have the ring I would have worn had we gotten marrying."

"Are you okay with that, sweetheart?" I asked, smoothing back her hair.

"Yeah. More than okay." Amara said. She shifted a little, looking down at her hands, "I realize now that I may have overreacted. No relationship is perfect, and I guess you all are the prime example of that. Even though someone makes mistakes you still have to forgive them and love them."

Maxon and I looked at each other, smiling at how far she had come, "That's our girl."

The rest of the wedding went by flawlessly. Damon and Amara were named Prince and Princess of Illea, with the priest and Maxon blessing them. Everything was great, perfect even. We went to the community center in the small church and had cake and speeches, and it was truly amazing to see the smiles on everyone's faces.

Maxon leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Now?"

I nodded, and we slunk off into the hall.

He turned to me, "Before we go, thank you. For taking care of my little girl. You've made her happy when I couldn't. I can't thank you enough for that."

I kissed him softly on the lips, "You are so welcome."

He sighed, warming up my bare arms, "It was always meant to be you, wasn't it? No matter what has happened, you've been in the background helping me, whether you knew it or not. I'm so sorry. I was blinded by jealousy and hurt and I never even listened to you. You still looked out for me, even after that."

"Shhh, it's okay, Max."

"No. It's not. America, you've been looking after me ever since we met and I have done nothing to help you. I am so scared that one day you'll stop looking out for my family, or you won't be there to do it anymore. I"m scared that one day Amara won't have a mama and I won't have my Ames."

"No matter what you do, I'll always be there Maxon. 'TIl death do us part."

He smiled at me with that gorgeous smile then kissed me.

"I love you so much," he said in between kisses.

"Maxon, we have things to do."

"Do we ever," he said, kissing my neck.

"Maxon Schreave! I meant the other thing."

He looked up at me still at the height to kiss my neck, "Do we have to?"

"Yes. We do."

"WHAT?!" Kriss shrieked.

"She's married now. There's no reason for Prince Nikita to stay here if he's not getting married."

"Maxon...have you forgotten we have a country to run?"

"Have you forgotten we have a daughter?"

"No, I haven't! Because I actually planned out her future! I spent countless hours making sure that she would have a bright future. Her marrying a...a peasant wasn't in the cards."

"If I recall, I married a peasant too, Kriss. She can still have a bright future with him, and in this one she'll be happy."

"She'll lose the respect of the people. She's engaged, and if people find out that she went against her word and married someone else...think of what people would say."

"...I was engaged to America, then I turned on her and married you. The thing is, Kriss, Amara made the right choice. I did not."

She looked stunned for a second, "You can't divorce me. The people won't have it. You marrying a school teacher, throwing away your queen. The people won't listen to you after that."

Maxon looked at me, as if looking for something, "You let me handle the details, for now," he reached into his desk and pulled out some papers, "We can just settle the divorce. You'll get more than enough money and the estate down in Costa Rica that you love, but you'll be giving up your rights to the kids."

Kriss blinked, "That's it? You're just going to throw me out? Take away my kids?"

"They were never your kids to begin with. Sign the papers."

She started crying, "Maxon...I loved you."

"That's the thing though, Kriss. You loved me. You don't love me. That's something we forgot to do along the way." he looked at me, at my eyes tearful eyes, "We forgot to look out for each other. That's something we shouldn't be able to do."

"We'll get you a new ring. Your old one is a little in use right now," Maxon said as we sat on his bed, our bed.

"We should have planned this out before you divorced your wife," I said, smiling.

"Planning has never been in our bag of tricks."

"No, no it hasn't."

"Speaking of planning, I think we had something to do," he said, scooting towards me.

"Oh no, mister. Our daughter is going to be here any moment."

"Our daughter?" Amara asked, entering the room. She looked at us on the bed smiling and then at the empty closet that used to be her mother's. She blinked, "I'm missing something."

I smiled at her, "Come here, kids."

Will, Damon, and Amara hopped onto the bed, and I was surrounded by my kids.

Amara smiled mischievously at the two of us, "For the wedding, we should have the whole entire orchestra spend the night."

Will and Damon started agreeing, throwing out all the things we could do with all of them here. Maxon and I smiled at each other. Our family was happy.


End file.
